I have been building “Norm’s” Adirondack chairs. The plan calls for Cypress but I can’t get in my neck of the woods (west coast of Canada) so I have been using red cedar. While OK it is so soft it dents while just looking at it. I wanted to try an outdoor hardwood instead. While I can get IPE, coming in at 60% of the cost is Angelim Pedra decking. Does anyone have an experience using it for anything other than decking. I can only find one reference on LJ where someone used it in a workbench.

6 replies so far

I have a project ready to start that is using ipe (a shower bench). Here are some things that I have learned from research:

1) ipe is very hard – you are going to prefer power over hand tools. Keep your steel sharp.2) ipe is irritating – make sure you use good dust collection and masks.3) ipe is difficult to finish – film based finishes are out – you will need to use an oil based finish. Look for ipe oil.4) ipe will dull your tools – resharpen early and often.

I have done some initial glue-ups for my project – I cleaned the surfaces well with a solvent before the glue-up – not sure this is needed or not (it is for teak) – but it is simple to do.

I’ve never worked with Angelim Pedra, but it looks nice, and has the right properties for an outdoor chair.I build lots of Ipe decks, and it was my choice when I built my wife an adirondack chair…but then I had a lot of leftovers. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/19330

It’s not like you need a lot of linear feet, but if you can save 40%, then go for it. I look forward to seeing the finished chair.

Being in Atlanta, GA, I have never seen Ipe or Cumaru woods that I know of. Being curious, I Googled both names with NO RESULTS!!! This is the first “no results” I have ever had for Google. Can you point me to info and sources?

Planeman

-- Always remember: It is a mathematical certainty that half the people in this country are below average in intelligence!

I have use a small amount of Angelim Pedra and I can say that it is splintery. So you will have to be careful with the chair in terms of keeping edges smooth and watch for tear out when rounding over edges and such. It takes a film finish, but I don’t know how that lasts outdoors as I have it under some Vermont Coatings poly in a red oak slab dining table. I would definitely just oil it though. It glues well as far as I know as I used it on another spot glued to some ambrosia maple. It is a nice wood and has these dark brown spots that are harder than the rest of the wood. They are mineral deposits and give a cool speckled look.